History | Primitive Methodist Zion Chapel
Hugh Bourne
Less than 3 miles from Norton Green Village is Bemmersley Green, the home of Hugh Bourne and co-founder of Primitive Methodism (ranters).
Born in 1772, an accomplished man and an unsung hero of his time. Hugh Bourne gave his time and energy to the less well off in the community and recognised their need for an education.
He believed that all men and woman were equal and that everyone deserved to be respected in their own right.
By 1799 Hugh was an established Wheelwright and Local Preacher. He followed John Wesley in his teachings until he was expelled from their church along with William Clowes in 1811. Their own camp meetings ensued at various venues in Norton Green Village, Brown Edge Parish and Mow Cop castle.
Primitive Methodist Meetings
Early in the 19th Century there was no church in Norton Green and the first Primitive Methodist Society met in an old preaching house, now demolished.
Before the Zion Methodist Sunday school was built in 1857, Primitive Methodist meetings were held in varied locations such as in the house of a Mr. Brocklehurst.
The preaching house was the end cottage by the entrance to Back Fold Farm, Norton Green, and it was here in this building that Hugh Bourne preached his last sermon on the 22nd January 1852. He died on 11th October 1852.
Meetings were also held at The Iron Foundry works, Norton Green, owned by Mr. Cope.
Zion Methodist Chapel
In 1857 a plot of land was purchased from Simeon Johnson, a local farmer and member of the Primitive Methodist Connexion for the sum of £5.00 for the erection of the first Chapel, a rectangular, one roomed, single storey building, 
this being the present schoolroom.
The date stone on the front gable declares:
Primitive Methodist
1857
Prepare to meet thy God
Amos Ch.4: V12
This building was furnished by simple wooden benches and heated by a stove pot, the flue pipe going straight up through the roof. The cost of the building was £285.00, the builder named Chadwick.
This building was to serve the congregation for the next fourteen years.
As the ranks of the Society increased, another building was needed and in 1871 a plot of land next to the first chapel was purchased for £37-1s-0d, and the present chapel was erected.
The front gable was inscribed:
Zion Primitive Methodist 1871
This building was larger than the 1857 one and the seating capacity was further increased by the inclusion of a gallery which was removed in 1985. Again the heating was a stove pot.
The first building became the Sunday School and also from 1874 to 1879 it was used as the village Day School until the Norton Green Board School was built in 1879 on Endon Road. This school educated local children for 104 years before closing in 1983 and is now known as Trentside Manor Residential Home for the elderley.
First Camp Meeting
Norton Green was noted for holding Camp Meeting Services on the Village Green. The first one is believed to have been on 23rd August 1807, following the first one on Mow Cop.
The Norton Green meeting was the one known as ‘The Crucial Camp Meeting’ because it led to Hugh Bourne being excluded from the Wesleyan Methodist Church. So along with a potter called William Clowes and others he formed the Primitive Methodist Church.
Norton Wakes
It was in 1881 that Zion agreed to hold a Camp Meeting on Norton Wakes Sunday. From that date Camp Meetings were held each year until 1966 when the older members of the church felt they could no longer worship in the open air.
Rememberance Great War 1914 - 1918
In May 1919 a pedal organ was purchased and placed in the Chapel as a memorial to those who had died in the Great War 1914-1918. Over the years three organs have been put in and each one counted as a memorial to those who died in both wars. 
Added to this in 2006 the village Residents Association placed a brass plaque in memory of those who died in the 1914 to 1918 war, along with a Book of Remembrance and poppy wreath at the Remembrance Service.
After further research another plaque has gone in place in 2007, when Remembrance Sunday falls on 11th November. The whole church premises were refurbished in 1999 in time to meet the new millennium.
2007 marked the 150th Anniversary of the Zion Methodist Church, Norton Green. top
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